Grooming
by drade666
Summary: Gabriel has neglected his wings and Drade has to help him groom them.


_**Grooming**_

Gabriel's back was itching like crazy but he wasn't exactly sure why until he had a bit of an epiphany. Gabriel hadn't really had much time to groom his wings over the past 3 years especially with the whole leviathan issue, closing the gates of heaven and hell etc… Luckily he hadn't shown them to Drade either over the past 3 years cause they were probably a mess but he couldn't clean them himself either so what was he going to do but simply leave them cause he certainly wasn't going to ask the boys for help or Cas. Leaving his wings though was proving to be a bad idea as the discomfort only grew to the point where Drade couldn't help but notice as he would shift awkwardly while sitting, standing, whatever or how every surface suddenly became a scratching post. Eventually it became painful to even touch his wings against anything weather he was scratching or not didn't matter his wings had become incredibly sensitive to any matter of touch. Drade was relieved when a day off finally came to her as the boys decided too sit and collect themselves before taking on the next problem so she took advantage of the time to confront Gabriel about his obvious discomfort that she'd concluded had something to do with his wings. Drade walked into their bedroom in the apartment they shared to see Gabriel sitting cross-legged on it with a look across his face of utter pain and discomfort, his shoulders hunched as small whimpering sounds occasionally escaped him. Drade gave a look of pity before walking over to her mate to sit beside him on the bed then laying a hand on his knee to rub it soothingly.

"Something you need?" Gabriel asked his voice displaying an undertone of his discomfort.

"I need you to display your wings for me" Drade said as Gabriel's gaze shot to hers and he swallowed hard.

"I can't" Gabriel defied her request while averting his gaze again

"Why not?" Drade asked her voice remaining low and soft

"Just cause I can't" Gabriel said with shame in his voice

"Please Gabriel" Drade pleaded with him gently

"If I show you, you'll leave me" Gabriel finally said quietly

"What?" Drade asked furrowing her brow in confusion

"My wings they're…in a mess" Gabriel said still keeping his eyes from meeting Drade's

"I kind of figured that out on my own" Drade told him

"How did you…?" Gabriel trailed off in surprise as his eyes finally met Drade's

"It doesn't take a genius to figure you out Gabriel" Drade teased with a smile causing Gabriel to shy away again with a frown on his face.

"For them to feel like this…they have to be in horrible shape" Gabriel explained while biting his lip.

"Why didn't you come to me?" Drade asked

"Cause if you see them then your going to hate them and me" Gabriel groaned as an ache of pain washed over him.

"You're an idiot," Drade said catching him off guard

"What?" Gabriel asked in confusion

"I could never hate you, I love you Gabe and the fact alone that I chose to spend eternity with you should be proof enough" Drade told him as he looked up at her. Drade leaned down then placed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Now let me see them" Drade insisted after pulling from the kiss

"Okay" Gabriel finally agreed as he closed his eyes in concentration

Gabriel's wings emerged revealing them to be indeed in a horrible state with matted feathers, dirt coating them, and parasites moving between the feathers. Drade shook her head at the state Gabriel had let his wings get into especially in seeing the sores that had been created from him scratching them and the parasites biting him. Drade walked out of the room into the bathroom to retrieve the materials she'd need to get his wings back into shape, emerging with a bowel of warm water and some towels then got to work as she gently combed through Gabriel's feathers she smoothed the ruffled feathers, straightened the matted clumps then started running a damp towel over his wings. Gabriel hissed occasionally, as Drade would pass over some of the sores making sure to clean them too while plucking the parasites off too. Soon Gabriel's wings looked much better as they regained their beauty but after cleaning them Drade moved a hand covered in a towel under his second pair of wings finding the small round organs there but as soon as she touched one of them Gabriel jumped in surprise and folded his wings tightly to himself.

"Gabriel!" Drade said in annoyance to his reaction

"Don't do that!" Gabriel snarled back

"Why? Come on Gabriel I have to clean them" Drade insisted

"No, it's uncomfortable" Gabriel complained

"It's uncomfortable because they're dirty and more then likely clogged, look I'll be gentle I promise" Drade assured him making another move to get to the organs

"Do you have to?" Gabriel whined this time

"Yes, now…move them" Drade urged as she tapped the undersides of his wings to encourage them upwards. Drade finally was able to reach the first gland but as she started cleaning it Gabriel immediately started to whimper a little cause it really was uncomfortable, almost painful to have her touching it. Eventually Drade grabbed the bowel of warm water and placed it under Gabriel's wing until the gland was sitting in the water with Drade's fingers gently massaging it till the oils started flowing with a clear color. Gabriel practically melted as the pressure released from the gland making him feel a thousand times better then before and he only felt better after Drade finished with the second one then began taking the fresh oils to spread over Gabriel's wings to finish cleansing them. Drade took some alcohol from the nightstand to pour on to another towel then gently started to treat the sores caused by him scratching and the parasites making Gabriel wince as she cleaned them up before coating them with a herbal cream she makes for her own wounds. Gabriel was exhausted but his wings felt ten thousand times better not to mention lighter with out all the grim on them and they didn't hurt as much anymore, he also felt stupid for not having gone to Drade in the first place as he laid on her lap with her hand gently caressing through his hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to you" Gabriel said feeling a little sheepish

"You should know by now that I fell in love with you not your wings" Drade told him placing a kiss to his temple.

"I know it's an angel thing," Gabriel said as he nuzzled into Drade's leg

"I'll always love you, no matter what" Drade said as she kissed his lips this time


End file.
